When CNA Lifestyle visited Chota House on a quiet Monday afternoon, founder Andrew Tay was deep in conversation with a couple browsing the racks.In his relaxed workwear silhouette and shoulder-length curls, the 44-year-old looked as though he had stepped out of a Japanese menswear magazine. Picking up a jacket, Tay slipped into an explanation of its fabric, construction and design, punctuating his observations with stories gathered through years of making clothes. The customers listened intently, peppering him with questions of their own. Fifteen minutes later, they bought the jacket.
It was a fitting introduction to Chota House, the independent unisex fashion label Tay founded in 2009. Tucked away on the fourth floor of 313@somerset, the boutique is warm and understated: Vintage rugs softened the concrete floor, dark timber cabinetry lined the walls hung with leather bags, and garments carefully displayed throughout.The decor reflects Tay’s belief that good clothing deserves to be appreciated slowly – something woven into the very name of his label.“Chota means ‘small’ or ‘little’ in Hindi,” he explained. “It refers to my attention to small little details, like stitching, buttons, and fabrics.”Tay described his label’s aesthetic as “heritage style with a modern twist”, born from a lifelong fascination with vintage military clothing and denim collected on his travels since he was young.
